


Get Some

by DashFlintceschi



Series: Prompt Table [6]
Category: You Me At Six
Genre: Dan's a total gentleman, Josh is deaf, M/M, they meet on Grindr
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-14
Updated: 2015-06-14
Packaged: 2018-04-04 09:01:29
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,605
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4131805
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DashFlintceschi/pseuds/DashFlintceschi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Josh's mum just wants him to be happy. If that means nagging him to the point of insanity, then so be it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Get Some

**Author's Note:**

> Number nine on my prompt table, Met Online. This would have been totally different if I hadn't mistyped 'Josh sighs' as 'Josh signs' at the very beginning.

Josh sighs as his mum lifts her hands, and raises his to stop her before she starts.

 _‘Look, if I agree to sign up to a dating website, will you leave me the hell alone?’_ He signs, and she nods happily. He sighs in resignation and nods, grabbing his mobile from the coffee table. After some Googling, he decides his best bet is Grindr. It’s his best chance of not getting messed about, he reckons, so he signs up and sets up his profile. He’s about to hit ‘save’, but hesitates, thinks about it for a minute, then quickly adds ‘non-verbal deaf’ to the end of his description, then hits ‘save’.

Once it’s done, and he’s shown his mum his profile, to get her off his back, he forgets all about it. He’s perfectly happy being alone, but his mum isn’t, so ever since he was about seventeen, she’s bugged him endlessly about finding someone. He thinks it’s because she blames herself for his deafness, though how him contracting meningitis at three months old is her fault, he can’t figure out. Either way, she thinks he’d be happier with someone, and Josh is pretty sure she’ll be happier if he’s with someone, so he thinks ‘to hell with it’, and decides to just start trying to find someone, to make his mum happy, more than anything else.

He’s reminded about his Grindr account at half nine that night, when his phone vibrates from halfway under his leg. He pulls it out and unlocks it, finding a notification from Grindr, telling him he has a new message. He opens the app, not expecting much, probably just some creep asking for nudes or a dick pic or something. He’s pleasantly surprised, though, when he opens the message from some guy called Dan.

 _‘So, where would be the best place to learn sign language?’_ It reads, and Josh gapes at it for a minute before he responds.

 _‘Probably the night class at Esher College, why?’_ He replies, then thinks to check Dan’s profile, to make sure he’s close enough that his reply makes sense. He’d set his preferences for only guys from Weybridge, but you can never be too sure.

He decides he likes the sound of Dan.

 _‘Dan Flint, 25, Weybridge, Surrey. Proof-reader who works from home; looking for someone who likes cats and either appreciates or is willing to tolerate my obsessions with Harry Potter, Doctor Who and Lord of the Rings.’_ His profile reads, and Josh is just looking at his profile picture, getting slightly lost in the bright blue eyes, when his phone vibrates again, telling him Dan’s replied to his message.

 _‘Because I want to ask you out on a date, but you’re non-verbal, and I can’t sign, so I want to learn to sign so I can ask you out,’_ Josh can’t help but blush as he reads it, and he’s trying to think of a reply when his phone vibrates again. _‘I’ll definitely check out that night class, thanks! I’ll message you again when I’m decent enough at signing, to see if you’re still interested, yeah?’_ The second message reads, and Josh grins as he types his reply.

 _‘Sounds good, though I can pretty much guarantee I’ll still be interested,’_ he responds, still blushing and smiling to himself as he closes the app and locks his phone.

Three months later, Dan’s the only decent person who’s messaged him on Grindr. Every single other message he’s gotten has been the requests for nudes and dick pics he’d expected. He’d ignored those and blocked the guys who’d sent them, wondering if Dan’s the only decent guy on the whole damn app.

The guy who teaches the Sign Language night class at Esher is a friend of Josh’s, so every time he runs the class, at the end of each run, he asks Josh to come to the last three classes, for the students to take turns having conversations with him. Matt only passes each of them if Josh can understand at least seventy-five percent of what they say to him, and they understand at least seventy-five percent of what he says.

As he climbs the stairs to Matt’s classroom on the first night, he wonders if Dan’s there, or if he was all talk. He’s early, as usual, so he and Matt are sitting behind Matt’s desk, discussing Arsenal’s chances of winning the Premier League this year, when the class slowly filter in.

Once everyone’s present and settled, Matt stands, signing as he speaks, introducing Josh to the class and explaining why he’s there. Josh is too busy scanning their faces, smiling as a pair of familiar blue eyes widen and swivel to look at him as Matt says his name. Once Matt’s done explaining, he turns to Josh, telling him he’s set up a desk and two chairs for him over by the window.

Josh works through five students, shaking his head and wondering if they weren’t paying attention, or if Matt’s a worse teacher than Josh thought he was. Matt looks over at him questioningly, and he checks his watch before nodding, deciding he has time for one more before the end of the lesson. He digs around in his folder for another evaluation form, not looking up until someone politely taps on his wrist with their index and middle fingers to get his attention. He looks up and smiles as he takes in the glittering blue eyes and straight, white smile of Dan Flint.

 _‘So, I think I’m ready to ask you on that date, now,’_ Dan signs with surprising fluidity, and Josh nods with a smile, quickly making a note on the evaluation form, then setting down his pen to reply.

 _‘Sounds good, and as promised, I’m still interested,’_ he replies, and Dan grins.

 _‘So, no-one more interesting has come along, then? Either in real life or online?’_ He asks, and Josh laughs slightly.

 _‘Nah, I’m too much of a hermit to meet anyone in real life, and you’re the only guy who’s message hasn’t been a request for nudes,’_ he replies with another soft laugh, but Dan frowns.

 _‘I’m sorry you had to put up with those arseholes, they should have had more respect for you than that. You deserve more respect than that,’_ he insists, and Josh shrugs with a slight blush.

 _‘I was expecting it, to be honest. I only signed up to keep my mum off my back. You were the pleasant surprise,’_ Josh tells him with a shy smile, and Dan grins. 

He raises his hands to reply, but hesitates and turns his head, apparently listening to something Matt’s saying.

 _‘Apparently, that’s us done for tonight. So, we’re on for that date, then?’_ He asks, grinning when Josh nods. _‘Alright. Can I have your number, so I can text you when I have the details sorted out, or would you rather I message you on Grindr?’_ He continues, and Josh grins as he blushes again, tearing a strip from a blank sheet of paper and scribbling his number down before passing it to Dan.

 _‘Just remember there’s no point in phoning me,’_ he tells him, laughing at the incredulous look Dan gives him. _‘Matt’s been my best friend since we were nine years old, and he still forgets sometimes,’_ he tells him, and Dan laughs, signs ‘goodbye’, then leaves with a wave.

Once Dan’s gone, Josh quickly fills out his evaluation form. Once the classroom is empty, Matt comes over and flumps down in the seat across from him. Once he’s done with Dan’s evaluation, he adds it to the pile and slides them across to Matt, who slips them into his bag with a grateful nod.

 _‘So, how’d he do, then?’_ he asks with a knowing grin and Josh laughs.

 _‘A fuck load better than the rest of them. Why is he so much better than the rest of them?’_ He asks, and Matt laughs.

 _‘Because at the end of the first class, he came to me and asked me for extra tutoring, because he had a non-verbal deaf guy he wanted to impress, so he’s been working twice as hard, both in class and during tutoring, to make sure he could impress you,’_ he tells Josh, who can’t help the deep blush that paints his cheeks.

In the end, only Dan and two others pass the course. They all have to do two exams, the informal one with Josh, and a formal one with Matt, which Josh sits in on, taking notes of his own. Once they’ve all done both, Matt and Josh sit down to look over their notes and discuss whether they think each student’s passed or not. Dan’s the only one who didn’t need to ask either of them to repeat themselves, and the other two only had to ask a few times, so they get a pass. The rest of the class fail; rather abysmally, in Josh’s opinion; and Matt asks them to retake the course. Whether they’re serious enough about learning sign language to actually do it or not, though, is entirely up to them.

Two days after Josh gave Dan his number, Dan texts him, letting him know they have reservations at Osso Buco on Friday at seven o’clock, and to let him know if he can’t make it. Josh can’t help but grin, the small Italian restaurant on Church Street is his absolute favourite, and he can’t help but wonder if Dan had a lucky guess, or if Matt told him. He resolves to ask Dan on Friday as he texts him back, telling him that Friday at seven is fine, and he’ll definitely be there.

Josh is surprised that he doesn’t get nervous until six o’clock Friday night. He doesn’t question it, though, just pushes the nerves away and finishes getting ready. Dan meets him outside the restaurant, grinning and taking Josh’s hand as they head inside. They’re seated quickly, and a waitress comes over to take their drink orders. Dan talks to her pleasantly for a few minutes, but suddenly, his face scrunches up in anger, and Josh can tell that whatever he says to her, he says it harshly, but when he turns to look at Josh, his face is calm and his eyes are gentle again as the waitress stalks away.

 _‘Everything alright?’_ Josh asks warily, and Dan sighs.

 _‘Yeah, just one of those idiots that thinks shouting at a deaf person is helpful,’_ he explains, and Josh snorts, ignoring the waitress pointedly when she comes back with their drinks and takes their order from Dan.

The date goes well, they get along great, Dan has a good laugh at Josh’s comment that the best thing about being non-verbal is that he’s never been shouted at for talking with his mouth full. When they leave the restaurant, Dan insists on walking Josh home, insisting that he won’t sleep properly if he doesn’t make sure Josh gets home safely.

 _‘And what about you? How am I supposed to know you get home safely?’_ Josh challenges, and Dan laughs.

 _‘How about I get a taxi back, and I text you once I’m home, to reassure you?’_ He asks, and Josh nods happily.

Once they’re at Josh’s door, they say their goodbyes, and Dan kisses him chastely. That one small kiss makes Josh’s gut clench, and before he can think about it, he grabs the back of Dan’s head and pulls him back to himself, kissing him hard. As he unlocks the door to his flat and pulls Dan inside with him, he reminds himself that he never does stuff like this, that he’s never done anything more than a goodnight kiss on the first date. He shakes that thought away, though. The thought of telling Dan he’s changed his mind, of asking him to leave, makes him more disappointed than he thought possible, so he ignores it and leads Dan to his bedroom.

Dan’s a little hesitant about leaving the lights on, it’s just not something that’s ever appealed to him. But then he remembers that if the lights are off, he won’t be able to see if Josh tries to tell him something important, so he leaves the lights on.

They quickly lose their clothes and Dan settles between Josh’s legs, sucking a dark love bite into Josh’s neck as he slips a liberally lubed finger into him. He quickly works up to three, making excessively sure he’s not hurting Josh, but those breathy, desperate little moans Josh makes that Dan quickly decides he loves, never stop, only get more frequent and more desperate. Dan realises he’s maybe been too careful, when Josh taps at his arm with his fingertips, making little grunting noises he hopes Dan realises are him begging him to get on with it. Dan does get the hint, sliding his fingers out and lubing himself up. He pulls Josh’s legs around his hips, then slowly slides in, relishing the sound of that quiet, low, desperate moan that Josh makes, focusing on it to stop Josh’s soft, tight heat from making him come too quickly.

Once he’s sure that Josh has adjusted to his girth, he starts moving, not quite thrusting yet, just slowly rolls his hips. Josh doesn’t complain, he can’t, as his back arches and his eyes roll back in his head, the question flitting through his mind of whether Dan’s really that good, or if it’s just been that damn long since Josh got any.

It’s been a while since either of them got any, so they don’t last long. As they lie tangled together afterwards, Josh feels Dan’s chest vibrating under his head, and wonders if Dan’s forgotten he’s deaf. He lifts his head to look, and smiles to himself. Dan’s face is slack, his mouth open slightly, and Josh realises he’s snoring. Josh decides he likes it as he settles his head back on Dan’s chest. The rhythmic vibrations, along with the steady heartbeat he can feel against his cheek are really quite soothing, he decides as they lull him to sleep.

The next morning, Josh wakes up to a cold, empty bed. He wonders what he expected as he strips the bed and harshly rams the sheets into the washing machine, fighting back tears as he gets into the shower, intent on scrubbing his skin until it bleeds.

When he gets out of the shower, he wrestles his phone from the pocket of his jeans from last night, planning on texting Matt, he could do with a shoulder to cry on. He finds a text from Dan waiting unread, though.

 _‘Hey, sorry I had to leave so early, had a meeting with my boss at an ungodly hour. I was thinking I could come back later, maybe bring lunch with me?’_ It reads, and Josh feels like a fucking idiot. Of course Dan wouldn’t do that, he’s too much of a gentleman.

Just after one o’clock, Dan lets himself back into Josh’s flat, bags of food in his hands and his two best friends trailing behind him. As soon as he gets to the kitchen door, he sits the bags down and makes sure Josh is watching him before he starts signing.

 _‘I’ve got my two idiot friends with me, sorry. They insisted, said they had to ‘make sure you’re good enough for me’, or some crap,’_ he apologises, and Josh laughs.

 _‘It’s fine, Matt would’ve insisted on doing the same thing, if he hadn’t met you before I did,’_ he reassures him, just as Max pushes past Dan and starts talking, his mouth moving rapidly as he looks at Josh. Josh quickly holds his hand up to silence Max, then turns and signs quickly to Dan, who signs back, then turns to Max.

“He says to tell you that he can lip-read, but you have to slow the fuck down. I already told him what you said, just slow down a bit in future,” Dan tells Max, who nods, and turns back to Josh, looking apologetic.

Josh gets on quite well with Max and Chris, once Max starts talking slow enough for Josh to read, that is. The only blip is when Max says something, once again too quickly for Josh to read, and Dan slaps Max across the back of the head, and Josh distinctly sees Dan’s mouth form the words ‘you can’t fucking ask that, you dickhead!’ 

Josh’s curiosity gets the better of him, and he asks what Max said, until they give up and Max repeats himself.

“So, do you think in words, or what?” Is what he said, and Josh laughs slightly.

 _‘Actually, I don’t. I was only three months old when I lost my hearing, so obviously, I hadn’t learned to speak, or I would think in words, at least partially. But my thoughts are entirely visual, usually either a pair of hands signing, or just pictures,’_ he tells them, or rather, he tells Dan, who repeats it out loud for them. Chris hesitates for a second once Dan’s done, then turns to Josh.

“While we’re asking questions we probably shouldn’t ask, I know you’re non-verbal, but can you talk, and just choose not to, or did you never learn?” He asks, looking slightly sheepish, and Josh laughs.

 _‘You’re right that you probably shouldn’t ask, but I don’t mind. I can talk, the doctor made me get speech therapy to learn when I was a kid, in case I ever got a decent enough hearing aid, and so I could communicate with people that can’t sign, I just choose not to. I had to talk when I was at school, because no-one could sign, but I was bullied by pretty much everyone who ever heard me talk. Apparently, there’s something called a ‘deaf voice’, and they thought that me sounding weird was justification for tormenting me. Matt was the only person who didn’t, and the only one that ever learned to sign to make things easier on me,’_ he explains, and Dan looks heartbroken, and though Josh can’t hear it, Dan’s voice catches slightly a few times as he translates for them.

When they meet each other’s families a few weeks later, Josh doesn’t need to be able to hear to know that his mum is squealing in a way that would hurt his ears. Though he’s pretty sure his sister, as well as Dan’s mum and sister are squealing just as loud. He knows he’s right when he sees his dad and Dan cringe, and they both sign ‘be glad you’re deaf’ to him at the same time. As they sit down to lunch in Dan’s mum’s kitchen, Josh is surprised as Dan’s sister, Sarah, turns to him and, slightly clumsily, signs to him that she’s happy Dan met him, that she thinks he’s been really good for Dan.

He thanks her, then turns to look at Dan with a questioning eyebrow raised.

 _‘She asked me to teach her to sign, so she could talk to you. We only just started last week, but she’s a faster learner than I thought she would be,’_ he explains, and Josh turns back to Sarah, tapping her wrist gently to get her attention. Once he’s got it, he tells her she’s doing great with her signing, and he’s sure she’ll be a pro in no time. He signs slowly and deliberately, to make it easier for her, but she still has to turn to Dan to ask him for help with a few words. The two of them spend most of lunch teaching her some more, and by the time they’re done eating, she can more or less hold her own in a conversation.

Even Dan gets confused, though, when Josh’s dad turns to Josh and relays Dan’s mum’s question if Josh wants cake, and Josh replies in the affirmative.

 _‘What was that? It wasn’t any sign language I’ve seen,’_ Dan asks, and Josh laughs softly.

 _‘We’ve developed a kind of shorthand, out of mutual laziness. Mum hates it, she’s sure I’m going to forget how to sign proper English if we keep doing it, but she’s yet to figure out how to stop us doing it,’_ he explains, and Dan laughs as he translates for his mum and sister.

That’s how, almost a year into their relationship, Josh realises that Dan’s ‘The One’. They’re at a wedding, sitting at a table with Matt, Max, Chris, and a few friends of Dan’s he’s never met, though the friends of Dan’s who are getting married are considerate enough to make sure everyone at their table can sign, which Josh appreciates. They’ve been having a play argument for about ten minutes, over whether Josh is a bad enough dancer to stop Dan dragging him up onto the dance floor, when Josh glances over at the rest of the table and realises they’re all staring at them in confusion.

 _‘What the hell kind of sign language was that?’_ Dan’s friend, Lynne asks, and Josh realises, they’ve developed their own shorthand. It’s not even the same one he uses with his dad. He can tell, because even Matt looks confused, and he’s been an expert in that shorthand since they were eleven.

They share a knowing look, and Josh laughs softly, then signs to Dan, consciously using their shorthand.

 _‘For god sake, never tell my mother she was right,’_ Dan laughs at that, and Josh almost imagines he can hear it. If his mother knows he found ‘The One’ because of her, on Grindr, of all places, she’ll never let him forget it.


End file.
